Thorn
Thorn reported $16.4 million in revenue and $21.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $80.08 went to program services, $8.35 to management and general costs and $11.57 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 49.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $355,491 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 74 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 74% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $22MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.1% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.4% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 11.6% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.38 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 40.7% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 49.0% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $355,491 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.63% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 74 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.8 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 7 of 8 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDevelop, deploy, and maintain software technology for use by companies operating online platforms that host users generate content. These software solutions enable companies to proactively identify, remove and report child sexual abuse material
Develop, deploy, and maintain software technology for use by law enforcement that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their investigations allowing them to more quickly identify child sexual abuse material on the internet accelerating victim identification and rescue
Thorn uses it's expertise to identify threats and opportunities to create an internet free of child sexual abuse material. Thorn aims to create awarness by creating public awareness and mobilizing the public to eliminate the sexual abuse of children and the spread of images of their abuse on the internet
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $317,694 | $0 | $37,797 | $355,491 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $277,819 | $0 | $36,051 | $313,870 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $278,954 | $0 | $15,547 | $294,501 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $268,723 | $0 | $25,277 | $294,000 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, INDUSTRY Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $254,238 | $0 | $35,347 | $289,585 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, DATA SCIENCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $228,502 | $0 | $34,577 | $263,079 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $245,043 | $0 | $14,094 | $259,137 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $240,514 | $0 | $12,372 | $252,886 |
74 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Thorn (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.6M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b8 · 7 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5111
- Volunteers Part I, line 69
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| FINSBURY GLOVER HERING EUROPE GMBH Strategic management and advisory servic | $543,532 |
| AMAZON WEB SERVICES Api provider | $539,611 |
| GREGORY FCA COMMUNICATIONS LLC Marketing and communications | $168,500 |
| BENENSON STRATEGY GROUP Surveys | $160,400 |
| SHEIKH PIFER & ASSOC Wellness | $139,100 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
24 private foundations reported grants to Thorn totaling $955K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Thorn's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Thorn, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Thorn spent in 2024, $80.08 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- YWCA of MinneapolisMinneapolis, MN · revenue $16M · programs 78.1% · FY2025
- Wolverine Human ServicesVassar, MI · revenue $16M · programs 78.5% · FY2025
- Growth WorksPlymouth, MI · revenue $16M · programs 92.5% · FY2025
- Marjaree Mason CenterFresno, CA · revenue $16M · programs 82.2% · FY2025
- Discovery LivingCedar Rapids, IA · revenue $16M · programs 92.4% · FY2025
All human services charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Thorn's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Thorn reported that 80.1% of its $21.8 million in expenses went to program services, 8.4% to management and general and 11.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Thorn pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Thorn reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $355,491, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Thorn get its money?
Of $16.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 40.7% came from contributions and grants and 49.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Thorn a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 27-0943677 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503189349315755 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403209349315790 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323199349328217 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243149349307084 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123159349308732 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013189349313721 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 27-0943677: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.